Now Simmering | Momofuku Ko’s Boozy Broth

It’s hard to say which was the more surprising occurrence last Sunday: that I got to eat at Momofuku Ko (a last-minute invitation from a suddenly single friend) or that I got to try its daikon “tortelloni” in oxtail-amaro broth.

“Amaro, as in the drink?” I asked the sous chef. He flashed me a “duh” look as he set down our bowls. Wine and vermouth have long been used to flavor sauces, but a bitter liqueur in soup? It makes sense: amaro is made with countless herbs and roots, so even a few drops can add intriguing flavor.
“I like to use a lot of liquor and spirits in my broths,” said Peter Serpico, the chef de cuisine and partner, who has also served mushroom broth flavored with Lagavulin whiskey. “It adds a depth.” Serpico came up with the idea for this dish a few years ago while sipping a glass of amaro with a friend. For this broth, he prefers Ramazzotti.

You can use the broth as a base for thin noodles. (Vermicelli works well). Or you can attempt Ko’s take on tortellini: mandoline-thin slices of raw daikon are folded around bits of braised oxtail or caramelized onions. (Sadly, you can’t just use the oxtail leftover from the broth.) You could also go completely off-piste and add fresh meat- or cheese-filled tortellini from Rafetto’s (144 Houston Street). However you dress it up, this broth is a surprising base for winter soups.

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Season the oxtails liberally with salt and pepper. Roast until nice and dark, about 1 hour.
2. Throw the oxtails into a large stock pot with 5 quarts water, carrots, celery, onion, garlic and bay leaves. Simmer until the meat falls off the bone, about 3 hours. Strain the liquid into a clean stock pot, reserving the meat and vegetables. (You might have to take the meat off the bone by hand.) Cool completely until fully gelatinized.
3. Set the stock pot of liquid over medium heat. In a large bowl, whip the egg whites until foamy, then fold in the reserved oxtail meat and vegetables until combined. Add to the lqiuid and bring to simmer. Allow a frothy white raft to form on the surface and, using a ladle, poke a hole on one side. Baste the raft occasionally with the stock. Once the raft has formed (the diameter is firm), 30 minutes to an hour, strain through a fine-mesh sieve or a colander lined with two layers of cheesecloth. Season to taste with spoonfuls of bacon dashi and shiro shoyu, and finish with amaro, adding more to taste if desired. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Adapted from Peter Serpico of Momofuku Ko.

NOTE: If you don’t want to make bacon dashi, you can use chicken or beef stock. To make bacon dashi, rinse two 3-by-6-inch pieces of konbu (kelp, available at Asian markets and health-food stores) under running water, then combine with 8 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then turn off the stove and let steep for 8 minutes. Remove the konbu from the pot and add 1/2 pound smoky bacon, preferably Benton’s. Lower the heat so the water simmers gently. Cook for 30 minutes. Strain the bacon from the dashi and chill the broth until the fat separates and hardens into a solid cap. Remove and discard the fat and use the dashi or store it. Bacon dashi will keep, covered, for a few days in the refrigerator. You can use a tiny bit of soy sauce instead of shiro shoyu.

And invest in the amaro: it’s great on the rocks or with a spritz of club soda while you’re cooking.